Encased reel



J. R. DOHERTY Dec. .8, 1936.

ENCASED REEL Filed Sept. 3, 1935 A llorncy Patented Dec. 8, 1936 PATENT OFFICE j ENCASED 'REEL I John RQDoherty, Bethlehem, Pa.

Application September 2 Claims.

This invention relates to reel structures, and more particularly to a housed or encased reel for clotheslines.

More particularly, the invention is concerned with an improved mounting for the reel involving a novel and efficient dog and ratchet mechanism to prevent rotative movement of the reel in a predetermined direction.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the invention with the handle removed.

Figure 2 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 1 but with the near side plate removed to show the dog and ratchet mechanism.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detailed view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an elevational view of a handle.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, it will be seen that 5 indicates generally a housing which is in the form of a box-like structure provided at its top with a suitable hinged lid 6. Opposed side walls I of the housing 5 are provided with openings to accommodate a hollow shaft 9 upon which the reel is mounted. Suitably secured on the ends of the shaft 9 are flanged collars Ill, the flanges of the collars engaging the outer sides of the walls I with the collars being accommodated within the aforementioned openings.

The improved reel comprises a hub II which accommodates the shaft 9 as shown and flanges I2 and I3 respectively provided on the respective opposite ends of the hub II. The flanges I2 and I3 are secured to the hub in any suitable manner, preferably by being integral therewith.

Hub II and shaft 9 are provided with suitably aligned openings for receiving a pin I4 through the medium of which the hub of the wheel is secured to the shaft 9 for rotating therewith. Also the shaft 9 and hub II are provided with suitable openings through which the knotted end of the clothesline or the like I5 is trained for securing one end of the line on the hub of the reel to facilitate the winding of the clothesline thereon.

As shown, the flange I3 is spaced a material distance inwardly from the adjacent side walls 'I and at its peripheral edge the flange I3 is slit and at intervals extends outwardly to provide a series of circumferentlally spaced ratchet teeth 3, 1935, Serial No. 39,066

I6 that extend in a plane parallel to the axis of the reel.

Cooperable with the ratchet teeth I6 for releasably locking the reel against rotation, is a dog I8. v

Dog I8 comprises a body plate that is tapered towards one end. At its largest end the body plate of dog I8 is provided with a notch l9 so as to accommodate the shaft 9 and the collar I0 on one end of the shaft. At its smallest end the plate I8 is bent at right angles to provide a lug 2| that extends at right angles to the body plate of the dog and projects outwardly of the casing through a slot 22 provided in the adjacent side Wall of the casing 5. At its inner end the lug 2| has a beveled side edge 2|] that is adapted to engage with the teeth I6 on the reel in a manner to secure the reel against rotation. It will be apparent that when the lug 2I is in the vertically extending left hand end of the slot 22, the inner portion 20 of the lug will engage with the teeth I6 and consequently the reel will be held against rotative movement. To release the reel, the finger piece 2i is grasped and moved upwardly and then laterally to the other end of the slot 22, thus disengaging the edge 20 from the teeth I6 whereupon the reel is then free to rotate for winding the clothesline I5 or paying out the clothesline when it is found desirable.

For revolving the reel to pay out the clothesline or to wind the line onto the reel, there is provided a suitable handle or crank 23. The crank at one end is provided with a substantially cylindrical head 24 which is adapted to be fitted into one end of the shaft 9 and is equipped with a suitable notch 25 for engagement with a transverse pin 26 provided in said end of the shaft 9, as shown in Figure 3, for operatively connecting the handle with the shaft so that rotative movement of the handle will be imparted to the shaft and consequently to the reel for revolving the latter.

From the above it will be seen that I have provided an encased reel structure particularly designed for use as a clothesline reel and which is characterized by an eflicient dog and ratchet mechanism whereby the reel may be either locked in position against rotation or released at the will of the operator. In this connection it will be noted that the plate I8 is held in position between the flange I3 and a suitable filler plate 21 suitably provided on the adjacent side wall I at the inner side of the wall.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a device of the character described, a casing, a reel rotatably mounted in the casing, said reel being provided at one end thereof with a flange having a circular series of teeth projecting laterally therefrom, a floating dog loosely mounted in said casing between said flange and the adjacent side of said casing, said side of said casing being provided with a slot having downwardly directed ends, and said dog having at its lower end an integral lug projecting laterally therefrom, said lug having an outer end portion projecting outwardly of the casing through said slot, and also having an inner end portion for engaging between adjacent teeth on the reel flange for locking the reel against rotative movement when the said outer end portion of the lug is in one of the aforementioned downwardly directed ends of said slot.

2. In a device of the character described, a

casing, a reel rotatably mounted in said casing, said reel having a flange provided with a circular series of teeth struck out therefrom and projecting from the flange in a series concentric to the axis of the reel, a dog including a body plate loosely disposed between said flange and the adjacent side wall of said casing, said body plate having a notch at one end to accommodate JOHN R. DOI-IERTY. 

